1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is to an ozonator, which is a type of chemical reactor apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ozone (O.sub.3) is a gas and was discovered in the mid-nineteenth century but its widespread use has only been after the 1950's and is used for environmental pollutant control. Ozonators have become popular in commercial use for rectifying man-made pollution. Ozone is a three atom allotrope of oxygen and is second only to fluorine in electro-negative oxidation potential. Although a natural ingredient of the earth's atmosphere it has become widely used to improve water quality. Ozone is an extremely efficacious oxidant which does not persist as a residual element in air and water treatment.
The widespread use of swimming pools as back yard recreational means and in municipal recreational associations has given rise to the making of the water used therein safe for swimming. In recent years chlorine pellets and the like have been used as the cost has been low and the test for concentration has been relatively simple. Chlorine and similar chemicals has been less than satisfactory in pools as this chemical addition has now become rather expensive and said chlorine has often adversely affected the eyes and skin of many swimmers. The rubber and like materials used in swim suits and pool equipment have also been adversely affected by these chemicals with discoloration and deterioration as a result. As and of itself chlorine-like pellets and like components are very dangerous and require careful handling and safe storage away from children and pets.
For many years ozone has been recognized as an outstanding bacteriacide and virus deactivant. Ozone is most economically produced by creating a "corona discharge." This occurs when electrons flow at sufficiently high potential through a gas such as air. In household air the addition of small amounts of ozone freshens the air and removes unwanted odors. Ozone is widely used to remove odors from waste dumps and to purify or alter stack gasses. An investigation and/or evaluation will indicate to what extent the addition of ozone to the air will control bacteria count and odors.
The production of ozone is shown in many prior U.S. Pat. Nos. among which are 599,455 as issued Feb. 22, 1893 and 744,096 as issued Nov. 17, 1903 to OTTO. These patents show "corona discharge" and motor driven components. They do not show adjustability for corona discharge or an air driven rotor. LINDER has U.S. Pat. Nos. 951,443 which issued on Mar. 8, 1910 and 969,547 which issued on Sept. 6, 1910. These also showed power rotated spark generator components. LINDERMANN disclosed a fixed ozone generator in U.S. Pat. No. 1,363,000 issued Dec. 21, 1920. DALY disclosed a water purifier in U.S. Pat. No. 1,865,433 issued on July 5, 1932. HARTMAN patented an ozone generator utilizing air moved by a fan in U.S. Pat. No. 1,991,668 issued Feb. 19, 1935.
More recent and incidentally much more complicated and expensive generators are shown in BLAIR, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,365,383 as issued Jan. 23, 1968; ARFF, 4,049,552 as issued Sept. 20, 1977; GNEUPEL, 4,159,971 as issued in July 3, 1979; STOPKA, 4,176,061 issued Nov. 27, 1979; HUTTER, 4,101,783 as issued July 18, 1978; and SAYLOR, 4,314,995 as issued July 29, 1980. These patents and others as far as is known do not disclose a cylindrical generator with a rotor which brings atmospheric air into the ozone generation chamber. This chamber of applicant's invention utilizes the inflow of air to move metal blades in way of electrodes or conductors so that high voltage sparks can produce ozone. The rotating blades enable and insure that deterioration of the potential conductor ends does not occur.